Gunter v. Atomic Projects & Production Workers Metal Trades Council

970 F. Supp. 871, 154 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2955, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14957, 1997 WL 271711
CourtDistrict Court, D. New Mexico
DecidedFebruary 21, 1997
DocketNo. CV 93-0924 LH/LFG
StatusPublished

This text of 970 F. Supp. 871 (Gunter v. Atomic Projects & Production Workers Metal Trades Council) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. New Mexico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gunter v. Atomic Projects & Production Workers Metal Trades Council, 970 F. Supp. 871, 154 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2955, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14957, 1997 WL 271711 (D.N.M. 1997).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

HANSEN, District Judge.

This case is before the Court on cross motions for summary judgment. The Atomic Projects and Production Workers Metal Trades Council (“MTC” or “the Council”) is a labor organization formed by eleven unions that represent various crafts at the Sandia National Laboratories (“Sandia”). Sandia recognizes the MTC as the exclusive representative of employees working in the crafts represented by these eleven unions. Sandia and the Council are parties to a collective bargaining agreement (“CBA”) which contains an agency shop clause (Article 39 of the CBA). This agreement was effective from October 1, 1990 to September 30, 1993.

The bargaining-unit employees belong to, or pay fees to, eleven different labor unions (“the affiliated unions”), each of which primarily services a particular trade, and has jurisdiction over certain job classifications at Sandia. Otero Deck, ¶¶ 7 and 8.

This matter concerns the interpretation, application and enforcement of the CBA. Thirty-eight employees of Sandia (“the Employees” or “Plaintiffs”), who are not members of the MTC, have brought this action. [874]*874This Memorandum Opinion addresses only the summary judgment arguments raised by and between MTC and the plaintiffs.

The Court heard oral arguments in this matter and has reviewed MTC’s Motion for Summary Judgment (Docket No. 136), Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary Judgment and Cross Motion for Summary Judgment (Docket No. 147), as well as all memoranda and supplemental materials submitted by the parties. For the reasons contained in this Memorandum Opinion, MTC’s Motion for Summary Judgment will be granted and Plaintiffs’ Motion and Cross Motions will be denied. Defendant Sandia’s Motion for Summary Judgment (Docket No. 138) is granted and Plaintiffs’ Cross Motion (Docket No. 145) will be denied.

/. BACKGROUND

The Complaint alleges that, as the Employees’ exclusive representative for collective bargaining with Sandia over their wages, hours, terms and conditions of employment, the Council owes them the fiduciary duty of fair representation, and that this duty has been breached (Count I).1 The Employees next allege a cause of action against Sandia for its alleged participation in the Council’s breach of this duty (Count II). Finally, the Employees allege that the negotiation and, more importantly, the enforcement of the agency shop provision, violates the CBA (Count III).

MTC has set forth the following facts in its pleadings which have been undisputed by the Employees, unless otherwise indicated by footnote. Accordingly, these facts are accepted by this Court as true:

The CBA contains an agency shop clause under which, as a condition of employment, each employee who is not a member of the council must “pay or tender to the Council amounts equal to an agency fee determined by the appropriate affiliated Union of the Council and by the Council in a manner required by law....” The dues or fees employees pay pursuant to the contractual agency shop clause are composed of a portion payable to the Council, and a portion payable to the appropriate affiliated union. The amount paid by Sandia employees varies, depending on the dues structure established by the respective union.

In 1990, the Council adopted and publicized a policy which advised nonmembers of their right to refrain from financially supporting certain Council activities for union activities which are not “reasonably related” to collective bargaining, and of its procedure for their assertion of that right and for filing objections. Otero Declaration, ¶ 11.

The notice explained that nonmembers who wanted to exercise their rights under Communications Workers of America v. Beck, 487 U.S. 735, 108 S.Ct. 2641, 101 L.Ed.2d 634 (1988) should notify the Council in order to be charged a reduced agency fee. Otero Declaration, ¶ 11.

All of the plaintiffs in this action filed objections with the Council. Although the policy provided that, upon objection, they would be charged a reduced fee, most of them completely stopped paying fees to the Council. Id. at ¶ 13.

In January 1992, the Council provided objectors with additional notice of the policy, along with financial information explaining the basis for the reduced fee being assessed.2 Id. ¶ 16.

On or about May 4, 1993, the Council provided objectors with another copy of the notice (Ex. C to Otero Declaration), along with additional financial information support[875]*875ing the reduced fee.3 Included were letters which specified the amount each objector was being assessed and the basis for calculating the assessment, and advised the objectors that failure to pay by June 4, 1993, would subject them to discharge under the agency shop clause. Id., ¶¶ 18-21 and Exhibit D.

The 1990, 1992 and 1993 policies offered objectors the opportunity to have disputes over the adequacy of the fee resolved by an arbitrator. Otero Declaration ¶¶ 11, 12, 16, 18 and Ex. C.4

In response to the May 4 letters, thirty-four of the plaintiffs to this action paid their fees, under protest. Otero Declaration ¶ 25. This money has been placed in an escrow account, pending resolution of this matter.

None of the plaintiffs invoked the arbitration procedure under the plan before filing this lawsuit. Id., ¶ 32.

The MTC demanded, verbally and in writing, that those Employees who had not paid dues be discharged by Sandia. On June 30, 1993, Sandia conducted a meeting of “Beck objectors, to advise Employees that they would be discharged if they did not pay the fees demanded by MTC,” because Sandia was bound by Article 39 of the CBA, and because their dispute was with the Council and not with Sandia. Four Employees, Esquibel, Farina, Gunter and Woody were separated from employment because they declined to pay fees demanded by MTC. Farina took “early retirement”. Sandia offered Esquibel, Gunter and Woody reinstatement in November 1993. Esquibel and Woody were reinstated to employment as of December 6, 1993. Gunter waived reinstatement and back-pay. Otero Declaration, ¶¶ 26-31.

II. SUMMARY JUDGMENT STANDARD

Summary judgment is proper “if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c). However, Rule 56 is not a requirement that the moving party negate his opponent’s claim. Fitzpatrick v. Catholic Bishop of Chicago, 916 F.2d 1254, 1256 (7th Cir.1990). Rule 56 mandates the entry of summary judgment, after adequate time for discovery, against a party “who fails to make a showing sufficient to. establish the existence of an element essential to that party’s case, and in which that party will bear the burden of proof at trial.” Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 2552, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986).

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970 F. Supp. 871, 154 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2955, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14957, 1997 WL 271711, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gunter-v-atomic-projects-production-workers-metal-trades-council-nmd-1997.